Nearly 2 tonnes of oil spills into sea off Chennai coast

Highlights

An aerial survey was carried out by Coast Guard and a sea-side reconnaissance to assess spillage was done by their interceptor boat.

The port managers said their evaluation revealed that spillage was likely confined to the break waters of the port and it was found within the fenced boom area.

Ennore port officials say spillage is confined to the breakwaters of the port

CHENNAI: In an early morning disaster, nearly two tonnes of furnace oil leaked into the sea from an oil tanker near Kamarajar Port in Ennore on Sunday. A flexible hose of MT Coral Stars got snapped from the berth-side of the vessel when it was discharging the oil at Marine Liquid Terminal I in the port at 4am. An official communication from the port said preliminary estimates put the quantum of leak at two tonnes and emergency protocol was immediately activated to address the issue. Kamarajar port chairman-in-charge P Raveendran told TOI that a fence boom was immediately deployed around the vessel to arrest the spillage from drifting into neighbouring areas. An aerial survey was carried out by Coast Guard and a sea-side reconnaissance to assess spillage was done by their interceptor boat. The port managers said their evaluation revealed that spillage was likely confined to the break waters of the port and it was found within the fenced boom area.

Work on recovering the spilled oil was being carried out with the help of skimmers and absorbent pads. “The recovery process would be completed on Monday,” Raveendran said. Mercantile Marine Department principal officer Shyam Barik told TOI that an inquiry by the port state inspector has begun, and a report would be filed with the director general of shipping in two days. “The DG would decide further course of action based on the report,” he said.